Nov 12 (DM) A total of 2,000 incidents of cyberbullying have been reported so far this year, according to the SL Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT). SLCERT engineer Charuka Damunupola, revealed that there has been a significant rise in cybercrime activities, with over 9,500 complaints filed in recent months. He stated that 981 of these cases involved sexual abuse, highlighting the growing concerns over online safety, particularly for vulnerable individuals. more..

Nov 12 (LS) The Colombo North Crime Division has arrested the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Kochchikade Police Station. The arrest was made following a complaint alleging that the OIC obstructed a group of police officers, including a sub-inspector, who were assigned to remove election-related posters. The OIC allegedly threatened the officers, accusing them of selectively removing posters for a Gampaha candidate, and obstructing them from carrying out their duties. more..

Nov 12 (EN) Campaign for SL’s parliamentary elections scheduled for Nov 14 ended at midnight on Monday with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s ruling NPP is seen favourite despite strong criticism by opposition over experience of NPP members. SL’s 17.1 million voters will select 196 legislators through direct constituencies in the election, while 29 seats are reserved for a national list, bringing the total number of seats to 225. more..

Nov 12 (FT) Having saddled the nation with a disastrous International Sovereign Bond (ISB) restructuring that ballooned debt repayments by billions, the CB Governor now pushes for lifting the import ban on personal vehicles – a blatant kowtow to the IMF’s imperial agenda. Two days after the Governor’s remarks Minister Vijitha Herath announced that the import ban on all vehicles will be lifted by 1 February 2025 as previously proposed by unelected Ranil Wickremesinghe admin. more..

Nov 12 (FT) I have worked with all the Executive Presidents except Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa in different capacities during my tenure in the public service and even afterwards. The way they managed or rather mis-managed the economy was different from one to the other. Late Prez Ranasinghe Premadasa’s management style was unique, flawless and foolproof. He monitored and followed up each and every decision he made. We used to keep a piece of paper and a pencil beside more..

Nov 12 (AD) Supreme Court has ordered the extension of the interim injunction issued preventing the execution of a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation under the previous govt to release 168 acres of land from the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve associated with the Wilpattu National Park for the establishment of a shrimp farm. Accordingly, the interim order was extended until 29 July 2025 when a petition filed challenging the former govt’s decision more..

Nov 12 (CT) As part of the expansion project, the Government has issued a call for bids for the construction of a new Airport Facility Complex at Colombo Airport, Ratmalana. The project, valued at an estimated Rs 3,979 million, is expected to be completed within 540 days. This bid invitation, under BID NO. 067/T/2024, has been announced by the Chairman of the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC) on behalf of Airport & Aviation Services (SL) (Pvt) Ltd. more..

Nov 12 (AD) Chairman of the Election Commission, R.M.A.L. Ratnayake, stated that the counting of votes for the general election will commence at 4.15 p.m. on Nov 14. He made these remarks during a special press briefing held today, where he provided updates on the general election. Ratnayake also informed that the results from polling areas and district-level results will be released to the media only after being re-checked and approved by more..

Nov 12 (NW) A ministry-level inquiry is to be conducted into the inclusion of political-related questions in the second term examination paper of a school in Kalutara, Ministry of Education announced. Education Ministry said that the Secretary to the Ministry Thilaka Jayasundara has issued a directive to the relevant authorities in this regard. Accordingly, an inquiry is to be conducted into the inclusion of political-related questions in the second term general knowledge exam paper more..

Nov 12 (AD) US Dept of State’s Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues, Abby Finkenauer, has arrived in SL on Tuesday for an official visit. “Proud to welcome US Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues Abby Finkenauer to SL! Her work as an advocate for youth voices around the world highlights the incredible role young people play in shaping a brighter future here.” “Our US-SL partnership is committed to empowering youth as leaders in areas that truly matter—from economic growth more..

Nov 12 (FT) Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) General Secretary Kumar Gunaratnam and Sarvajana Balaya Alliance leader businessman Dilith Jayaweera have called on Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to deliver justice to JVP members who lost their lives in the 1987–1989 insurrection, including JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera. Speaking at the FSP’s annual November Heroes Commemoration (Il Maha Viru Samaruma) more..

Nov 12 (AD) The website of SL’s Meteorological Department is currently being restored after a cyber attack disrupted its services early last week. SL Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SL CERT) said that they’re currently managing the response and recovery efforts. Senior Information Officer at SL CERT Charuka Damunopola said the attack was reported on November 01, noting that “Due to this cyber attack, changes were detected on the Meteorological Department’s official website. more..

Nov 12 (CI) Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand, having sustained an injury to his left hamstring while bowling, in the second T20I, on Sunday. Hasaranga was seen hobbling through his later overs, and was also limping between the wickets while running. He has been replaced in the ODI squad by Dushan Hemantha, another legspin-bowling allrounder. Hemantha has played five ODIs and has recently been among the wickets for the SL A team. more..

Nov 12 (DM) Secretary to Ministry of Power and Energy was issued a notice to appear before the Supreme Court on Nov 19 to explain why his actions should not be considered contempt of court. A 2-judge bench of the Court of Appeal, comprising Justice Murdu Fernando and Justice Gamini Amarasekera, issued this order during the hearing of three Fundamental Rights petitions challenging the legality of business transactions involving LTL Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, a leading engineering more..

Nov 12 (Island) Police yesterday said that they suspected that the deadly shooting in Ambalangoda on Sunday (10), which claimed the lives of a husband and wife, was linked to ongoing drug-related conflicts. The couple, who were riding a motorcycle in Urawatte, were gunned down by two unidentified assailants who were also riding a motorcycle. The victims, who were fatally shot in what police suspect was a targeted attack. The deceased have been identified as a married more..

Nov 12 (BS) The ground beneath you may seem stable, but the Earth is in a state of constant motion. While we have a solid understanding of the Earth's surface, its interior remains largely unexplored. Even with all our technological advancements, we still haven't developed probes capable of reaching the Earth's crust, which is just 35 km deep. To uncover the mysteries of the Earth's core and mantle, we rely on indirect methods. more..

Nov 12 (DM) All schools are to be handed over to the respective Grama Niladhari officers today (12) after classes end, in preparation for the parliamentary elections scheduled for Thursday (14), the Education Ministry said. Ministry said that the announcement was made last Friday (8), according to which all schools will be closed from tomorrow (13) in preparation for the elections on November 14. Schools are expected to reopen on Monday (18) after the elections. more..

Nov 12 (NW) Former SL cricketer TM Dilshan, who is contesting in the upcoming parliamentary election from the Kalutara District, has denied claims that he has not renounced his dual citizenship. Dilshan confirmed that he has relinquished his Australian citizenship to qualify for the Sri Lankan Parliament election. Addressing the rumors surrounding his citizenship status, Dilshan remarked, “Various people are spreading rumors that I have not renounced my citizenship because they are more..

Nov 12 (FT) We have all heard the tragic stories of child victims—whether through news reports, social media, or articles—stories that bring public attention to the horrific realities of child exploitation and violence in our island. However, what we don’t realise is the lasting harm caused by media coverage. By exposing sensitive details, it creates a multitude of complications, both legally and personally, for the victims themselves. more..

Nov 12 (NW) A brawl was reported between supporters of former MP Rishad Bathiudeen and former State Minister Kader Masthan in the Pattanchivur area in Vavuniya last night. According to the Vavuniya Police, two persons were injured in the clash and admitted to the Vavuniya Hospital. It is reported that both Kader Masthan and Rishad Bathiudeen were to hold their final political rallies in view of the Parliament Election in the said area. Supporters of Kader Masthan had attacked more..

Nov 12 (DN) SL and Myanmar recently discussed enhancing cooperation in the Trade, Economic and Investment sectors between the two countries. SL’s Ambassador to Myanmar, Prabashini Ponnamperuma held meetings with the Chief Minister of Yangon Region, U Soe Thein and Mayor and Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee, U Bo Htay on Oct 30 in Yangon, Myanmar. Discussions were centered mainly on enhancing cooperation between 2 countries more..

Nov 12 (EN) SL’s state-run CEB’s re-structuring faces execution risk, Fitch Ratings said, while confirming its ‘BB+(lka) rating on expected state support. “The new Electricity Act includes provisions to unbundle CEB’s generation, transmission and distribution into separate entities,” Fitch said. “We believe the unbundling will improve CEB’s efficiency and competitiveness. The utility is already preparing separate financials, maintains separate bank accounts and is in the process of allocating more..

Nov 12 (MK) Pakistan A extended their dominance on Day 2 of the 1st Unofficial Test against SL A, taking a good 143-run lead in the first innings at the Rawalpindi Stadium on Nov 12. Sri Lanka A, in response, ended the day at 77/1. It happened after the hosts were all out for 258, with Hussain Talat (56), Rohail Nazir (55), and Ali Zaryab (55) leading the charge with half-centuries. Their efforts ensured Pakistan A maintained an upper hand despite losing wickets at regular intervals. more..

Nov 12 (WN) MK Stalin, the chief minister of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has written to Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, highlighting the increasing frequency of arrests of Indian fishermen by the SL Navy. In a letter, Stalin highlighted that the number of Indian fishermen arrested by the SL Navy this year is the highest in 7 years. SL Navy maintains that Indian fishing boats are poaching in SL waters more..

Nov 12 (DM) Sri Lanka has reported a notable increase in cases of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in recent days. Dr. Deepal Perera, a consultant pediatrician, noted that HFMD cases have risen among schoolchildren. He explained that viral infections, especially HFMD, tend to spread more during the colder season, particularly between Nov and Dec. Dr. Perera advised parents to keep children with symptoms—such as small red or white blisters on their hands, feet, or in their more..

Nov 12 (CT) People’s Struggle Alliance (PSA) will support the NPP if the govt brings forward a new people-centric Constitution but will not form a coalition govt, PSA Colombo District candidate Swastika Arulingam said. She said this in response to a question raised regarding a possible formation of a coalition govt if NPP wins the upcoming General Election. Arulingam said that there is a need to draft a new constitution, which is more inclusive of rights and concerns of all ethnicities more..

Nov 12 (DM) For the past few decades, every political party has failed to amend the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) and prioritise the rights of women and children in the community. Many Muslim women, including victims of the MMDA, have endeavoured to shed light on injustice and discrimination as a direct result of the lack of reform in the Act. However, efforts to reform the act have been undermined by more..

Nov 12 (AD) DIG Nihal Thalduwa announced that approximately 64,000 police officers will be deployed from today to ensure security during the general election across all constituencies. He stated that “13,383 polling stations have been set up for the total 13,314 constituencies. To cover this period, we deploy police officers on duty on the day of the election and the day after, and if necessary, even after that.” The deployment includes nearly 3,200 STF officers prepared for duty, more..

Nov 12 (TM) SL’s two state banks will only require about Rs. 150 billion out of the allocated Rs. 450 billion for the capitalisation requirements following the completion of debt restructuring, CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Speaking at the HSBC Market Outlook for 2024, he said that according to the latest assessment done by the Central Bank on the two state banks, one-third of the allocated Rs. 450 billion will be sufficient to address any capital shortfall arising from more..

Nov 13 (DM) Campaigning at the General Elections has come to an end. So far, whether it be in the north, south, east or west of the country campaigning has been on a low key. Only the NPP-JVP combine has held any mega election rallies. After this year’s election, there will be no large-scale clearing up facing municipal and local government workers. The only large-scale rallies, were organised mainly by the president’s coalition of partners -the NPP/JVP combine. more..

Nov 13 (DM) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently accused certain media institutions of propagating fake news. His grouse was over two incidents of media coverage. The first is the media reports about the govt printing fresh money, which the Central Bank itself has refuted. The second was the criticism of the govt’s handling of the terror alert on the Israeli tourists in Argum Bay. The President, who rightly claims that the right course of action had been taken upon the alerts – more..

Nov 13 (CT) After Easter Sunday massacre by the Islamic State on 21 April 2019, SL faced another terrorist threat. Working with their U.S. counterparts, the threat was successfully disrupted by the SL security and intelligence community. According to the U.S. Dept of Justice, Iran’s intelligence service, Iranian Guard Corps (IRGC) recruited an int'l drug trafficker Farhad Shakeri, 51, to coordinate an attack against the Israeli more..

Nov 13 (ST) Donald Trump broke the mould of American politics to stage a historic comeback to the White House, the first time a president had ever made a non-consecutive return to power for over hundred and thirty years. It was an amazing victory that Trump had pulled off against his female rival Kamala Harris, who, along with her inane horse-laugh, was fired and shown the door—in no uncertain terms—by more than 70 million American people. Pollsters had boosted her ego by more..

Nov 13 (TM) SL’s history and future is inevitably linked to the ocean that surrounds the island nation. This fact is often forgotten and overlooked by SL policy-makers, officials and the public. Many Sri Lankans conveniently forget that we are indeed islanders and have limited their conscience and focus to matters of land. We are an island nation in the Indian Ocean, comprising about 1,340 km coastline (mainland) and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which is about more..

Nov 13 (CT) In a remarkable testament to the value of democracy, election officials go to extra mile to ensure every citizen’s vote counts, no matter how remote the location. This commitment brings to mind the Election Commission of India’s publication, Belief in the Ballot, which chronicles many such inspiring stories. One chapter, If We Cannot Fly, We Will Walk, tells of election officials braving mountainous terrain and more..

Nov 13 (Island) It is a matter of fact, though truly unfortunate, that most political conversations in our country, more often than not, start and end with issues on corruption. The intrigue and controversy surrounding the operations of India’s Adani Green Energy Ltd in the country is not an exception. This year, Sri Lanka entered a power purchase deal with Adani Green Energy Ltd. In terms of the agreement, the country will purchase electricity from the company over 20 years. more..